Randy Weber: “I represent District 14, which, arguably, is ground zero for flooding. It is the first three coastal counties that start…”

“I represent District 14, which, arguably, is ground zero for flooding. It is the first three coastal counties that start at Louisiana and come down the Texas coast: Jefferson County, Galveston County, and then the southern half of Brazoria County. As I reflected, Mr. Speaker, about Harvey, I thought I would put some thoughts down on paper. It is staggering and incredible, when you think about it, and, unfortunately, our friends in Florida may be facing exactly the same thing. Of course, Hurricane Irma came up through the Caribbean wreaking havoc. Our prayers and thoughts go out to those families. Over 60 deaths here alone. FEMA applications, 650,000-plus already. Shelters, there were 49,000 people staying in shelters in the three counties that I have just discussed. Secretary Price said in a briefing this morning they are down to around, I think it is, 13,000, 14,000, so that number has diminished. Money spent by FEMA so far, last estimate, $200 million. Untold thousands, hundreds of thousands of cases of water have been sent. Hundreds of cities, communities, towns, neighborhoods affected. Mr. Speaker, the annual average rainfall in that area on a yearly basis, of course, is 50 inches. Folks, we got 53 inches in 3 days. Population on the southeast part of Texas, you could say, is about 6 to 7 million people that have been affected by this. In Louisiana, I am not sure: half a million people affected by the rain, over 100,000 houses flooded.…”